Coffee County residents who are nearing retirement age can increase their lifetime income if they can wait a bit to start drawing Social Security benefits.
In Coffee County 6,743 residents – or 12.7 percent of the population – are aged 55 to 64. Those are the years when folks start thinking seriously about retirement.
Workers can start taking Social Security at age 62. But for those who can wait, the benefits go up.
Payments increase by 5 to 7 percent for each year of delay between ages 62 and 66, and by 8 percent for each year of delay between ages 66 and 70. The increases stop at age 70.
For someone who can wait until age 70 to take Social Security, the reward is a lifetime monthly benefit that is 76 percent higher than if taken at age 62.
For example, a worker who qualifies for a Social Security benefit of $750 at age 62 would receive $1,000 by waiting until full retirement age (66 for people born in 1943 to 1954). By waiting until age 70, the retiree would receive $1,320 a month.
The higher benefit would also be the basis for future inflation adjustments.
Around Tennessee, only about one in four residents who are currently receiving Social Security retirement benefits waited until full retirement age to start their payments, according to the Social Security Administration.
In Coffee County, 8,425 residents received retirement benefits from the federal system, according to 2012 figures.
The average recipient of Social Security retirement benefits in Coffee County received $1,204 a month in December of that year. On an annual basis, that brought $121,752,000 in income to the area – 6.3 percent of all personal income in the county, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The Social Security Administration website (ssa.gov) has a calculator that allows workers to estimate their retirement earnings based on their own work records and estimated retirement age.

The Manchester Police Department is proud to announce that Officer Landon Pence will be the new D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Officer. Officer Pence graduated from D.A.R.E. training Friday afternoon. Pence will be working with the Manchester city school system to implement this program.
The new D.A.R.E program will begin when school starts back up for 2014-15 school term.
Starting in 5th grade, elementary students are given lessons to act in their own best interest when facing high-risk, low-gain choices and to resist peer pressure and other influences in making their personal choices regarding: Tobacco Smoking, Tobacco advertising, Drug Abuse, Inhalants, alcohol consumption and health, and Peer Pressure in a Social Network.

Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) is allocating $15.25 million of HOME funding to cities and counties across the state for homeowner rehabilitation projects and supportive housing rental projects.
The federally funded HOME program promotes preservation and rehabilitation of housing for households of low income. THDA awarded a total of $15.25 million in HOME funding to over 50 cities, counties, and non-profit agencies in Tennessee. The funds will provide supportive housing development, homeowner repairs and down payment assistance to more than 450 households of low income. The local governments and non-profit agencies will post information regarding timing and procedures for individuals who wish to apply for assistance.
Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) is allocating $375,000 of HOME funding to the City of Tullahoma for homeowner rehabilitation projects. Tullahoma will use the funding to assist approximately 12 households with repairs.

WWII Vet William Keesee floats over Tullahoma in recent jump.. Photos by Samantha Watters

Thunder Radio wants to Salute our Troops this Summer, but we need your help. Tell us about that special troop in your life so we can properly salute them this July.

Family and friends who came out in support of Mr. Keesee’s Birthday Jump.

In honor of Salute our Troops this year, we decided to Salute WWII Navy Seaman 1st Class William Keesee on Thunder TV this week. Mr. Keesee born on June 3rd, 1925 served in the military from 1943-1946. In honor of his 89th birthday recently, Mr. Keesee decided to tandem jump out of an airplane at the Tullahoma Airport. After his 14,000 feet jump, Mr. Keesee said that it was like floating in the air. It was beautiful. At this time Thunder Radio would like to Salute William Keesee and thank him for his service. Remember to Salute your Troops by logging onto Thunder Radio’s Facebook Page and Messaging us a Picture and Story. All submissions must be received by Friday, June 27th. To see Mr. Keesee’s Jump, watch Thunder TV’s news video online at WMSRRadio.com. If you would like to see any of our previous Thunder TV News videos check out our Youtube Channel: WMSRradio.